"Ah."
Whether the regular customer was S-Rank Hunter Choi Yu-ra.
Or how exactly he had soured her mood.
None of that mattered right now.
"Ugh..."
The traces left on her cheek by dried tears, like a wound.
The deep, dark circles under her eyes.
Her pallid complexion, as if she were ill.
Above all, the expression on her face that looked ready to crumble at any moment.
'I can't just let her leave like this!'
If he let her go now, he would surely regret it.
For a physically resilient Awakener.
A high-rank one with enhancement skills, no less, to be this worn out.
It meant she was under unimaginable stress.
If he let her go like this, her mind would shatter completely, leading her to retire as a Hunter.
Or worse, make an extreme choice.
An anxiety that he would never see her again swelled into certainty.
"W-Wait a moment!"
He tried to stop her, but she was already set on leaving and turning away, so he quickly met her eyes and activated Hypnosis.
The suggestion: Don't leave, stay a bit and talk with me.
But the skill failed.
[Suggestion failed.]
The first-stage suggestion didn't work.
They said it doesn't work on those with strong mental fortitude, and even in her depleted state, she was worthy of being an S-Rank Hunter.
'I've still got her wrist.'
Before she could leave, he tried once more.
This time, second stage.
[Don't run away. Stay a while and listen to Yoo Jun-hyuk.]
This time, instead of a failure message, the woman who had been trying to shake off his wrist froze.
"I don't know what happened to you exactly, but..."
At the same time, he implanted one more suggestion.
[Yoo Jun-hyuk's words feel genuine, not superficial, filled with sincerity.]
If she wouldn't take anything he said to heart, talking would be pointless.
So he suggested that she believe his words.
Of course, he planned to speak only the truth, no lies.
"If you're okay with it, tell me. The grudges bottled up in your chest just fester more the longer you hold them in, but saying them out loud to someone can make it all feel better."
Though they had been tussling like this with a customer, luckily the Cafe Owner had gone into the staff room to order supplies.
"I'm saying this because I genuinely care about you. As a fan who supports you, I don't want to just let you go like this."
"..."
She said nothing, but her eyes trembled greatly.
Still, there wasn't enough time to talk right then.
"So, if it's okay, could you wait just a little?"
Not his business smile.
He pleaded with a sincere smile of worry.
"It's almost closing time anyway."
＊＊＊
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
Luckily, she didn't run off.
The rain had stopped at just the right moment, and she waited quietly outside the cafe for him.
Of course, while cleaning up, he checked outside several times, and she had taken steps to leave more than once.
'Is it because she's S-Rank, or because it's not third-stage Hypnosis?'
Either way, he headed to an unmanned cafe with her, who had waited for him.
After their drinks arrived, he took a sip of his iced Americano across from her and asked.
"I won't pry. I'll wait until you feel like talking. If you don't want to, you don't have to."
"..."
S-Rank Hunter Choi Yu-ra lowered her head at his words, clutching her coffee cup.
He watched quietly as she fidgeted hesitantly, giving her time to gather her thoughts, and pondered.
'Is second stage enough?'
He could layer on more suggestions to maneuver a kiss somehow, then use third-stage Hypnosis to wipe away all her worries.
Forget about worries from now on and live positively.
Or forget the problems tormenting her, and ignore them if they arise again.
With Hypnosis like that, she would erase her current self and live brightly and energetically.
'But no, that won't do.'
He immediately retracted the thought.
Whatever crisis she faced now, if she overcame it on her own, she would become stronger and greater.
That's what adversity does—it makes people grow.
Using Hypnosis would rob her of that chance and be no different from arbitrarily controlling her life.
'So, counseling level is fine.'
Hypnosis just strong enough that his sincerity isn't dismissed and gets through.
That should suffice.
Plus, he believed she could overcome it magnificently with just counseling.
She was that kind of person.
'But at this rate, she won't open up.'
Of course, baring one's weaknesses to a stranger isn't easy.
He subtly took her hand again.
Ignoring her startled flinch, he stroked the back of her hand soothingly and used the skill.
[You want to refreshingly pour out what's inside.]
"Th-That..."
He let go of her hand right away, and finally, S-Rank Hunter Choi Yu-ra spoke.
"You... know a lot about me?"
"Yes. How could any Korean not know S-Rank Hunter Choi Yu-ra?"
"No, not that... Do you know well?"
Her tone sharpened slightly.
Unable to help raising an eyebrow, she poured out her words.
"Kidnapping men and turning them into boy toys... Secretly connecting with villains behind the scenes..."
"...S-Rank Hunter Choi Yu-ra?"
"Buying men with money, doing drugs, having lewd sex with men every day, getting pregnant, even abortions..."
"S-Rank Hunter Choi Yu-ra!"
He shouted to calm her down.
It was late, so they were the only ones in the unmanned cafe.
"I don't believe that kind of rumor nonsense. Someone as outstanding as you wouldn't do such things."
He had suspected it since she broke her smartphone.
She had seen the Go Jin-yo video too.
"But..."
"Anyone can post baseless crap online. Basement-dwelling NEETs act like professors on the internet. No one in the world believes everything floating around online 100%."
"But the comments all believe it..."
Her ruby-like beautiful eyes were filled with moisture.
Paradoxically, that sight was so beautiful it made him despise himself a little.
"Not me. And comments are just a fraction. If there are a hundred people who like S-Rank Hunter Choi Yu-ra in the world, maybe only one believes that stupid rumor."
"Even so... If I'd done better, no one would have believed that rumor."
"Pardon?"
He had thought it odd that she crumbled over just malicious comments.
It felt like it wasn't just one bad comment.
"During the Ganghwa Island Gate incident, if I'd slept a little less, I could have resolved it faster... During the Jeju Island incident, if I'd read the signs early and prepared... And the Busan Gate too..."
She wanted to be perfect.
She already was perfect, but she dreamed of a perfection where not even a single malicious comment stuck.
He knew that was impossible.
'Malicious comments are eternal.'
Some point out mistakes.
But more just want to poke at emotions.
S-Rank Hunter Choi Yu-ra had striven for an impossible dream.
That effort returned as self-deprecation.
And it exploded with the Go Jin-yo video and its malicious comments.
'Just advising her to forget malicious comments won't heal her.'
It would just happen again later.
She'd challenge the impossible again and get hurt.
In that case...
"Not S-Rank Hunter Choi Yu-ra, but Choi Yu-ra."
He would change her thinking.
"You're not a god."
＊＊＊
"Yu-ra, you're a genius!"
Words he'd heard since long ago.
Back in childhood, before even Awakening.
Even then, her outstanding physical abilities let her accomplish what peers couldn't, magnificently.
"Wow! Yu-ra! You're so cool! I wanna call you sis from now on!"
She liked the embarrassing praise.
So she worked hard, and the harder she did, the more everyone praised the diligent, outstanding child.
" Awakening at ten years old already! You're Korea's treasure!"
And that day came.
The youngest Awakening.
Her already powerful physical abilities grew even stronger with the skills from Awakening.
It became wings, letting her soar in an instant.
'I want to be a Hunter.'
Talent easily fulfilled the Hunter dream she'd held since childhood.
But it wasn't enough.
She wanted to work harder, become the top Hunter.
"Considering this mana level, combat ability, and the ranks and number of Gates resolved, the promotion request is deemed valid. Therefore, as of today, S-Rank Hunter Choi Yu-ra's rank is promoted from A-Rank to S-Rank."
And her efforts were rewarded.
Youngest Awakening, followed by youngest S-Rank.
'If I just work hard, I can achieve any goal.'
Effort doesn't betray.
Without talent, maybe not, but she had talent.
As long as she didn't grow slothful, she could do anything.
"Yu-ra's truly a genius."
"It's not just talent. Yu-ra trains so long. I can't even keep up with her toes."
"Her conduct is so upright and exemplary. A real role model."
"What if SS-Rank gets created later because of her?"
She didn't grow arrogant from others' praise.
She kept striving to maintain her current state.
She wanted to be everyone's role model, to be perfect.
So she gave up everything.
No alcohol, no smoking, not even games.
She could have dated easily if she wanted, but she gave that up too.
Work and training.
That was her all.
'...It's hard.'
Of course, it wasn't easy.
Sometimes, it felt like 'S-Rank Hunter Choi Yu-ra,' the object of everyone's admiration, existed, but not her true self.
But no helping it.
To be everyone's hope.
To be a perfect hero, some sacrifice was necessary.
That shattered from a random internet article comment.
"No fucking way, how could they arrive slower than this?"
On the day she handled the Ganghwa Island Gate Break and returned.
Delayed slightly for cleanup, a colleague swore while looking at his smartphone.
Peeking at the screen, he was reading comments on an article about the incident.
[But kinda disappointing. No casualties is good, but if they'd come faster, property damage could've been zero too. Government compensates, but only partially, so it's a burden for citizens.]
Seeing that comment made her happy.
It meant she still had room to improve and grow.
After that day, she always checked comments on articles after work.
She focused on those pointing out shortcomings over praise, striving to satisfy them.
[For real, S-Rank Hunter Choi Yu-ra's been off lately? Back then, she'd smash an A-Rank Gate in an hour, but two hours? Isn't she too lazy now?]
[Been partying at other guilds' anniversaries everywhere lately, got hooked on booze and lost her edge.]
[If I had the same talent, I'd grind to the bone and solo S-Rank Gates.]
She worked hard, harder.
Kept at it, cut sleep, skipped light hangouts with colleagues.
Trained harder, even supported other guilds' Gates on dispatch.
[Hah! Used to handle 10 Gates a month, now only 7-8. Aging hits laziness quick, huh.]
But comments still criticized her.
She needed to be more perfect.
Work harder.
But...
What more could she do here?
She stopped hearing praise.
No, there were still people thankful, praising, revering her, but even they seemed to criticize her flaws inwardly.
"I'm sorry. If I'd just come a little faster... Then..."
And during the Busan Gate Break, she finally broke.
Everything felt like her fault.
She was lacking.
A trash who hadn't fully utilized her innate talent.
After that day, the Guild Master ordered her on leave.
To rest fully and regain mental stability for a while.
But could someone like her really rest?
Banned from the training grounds, she didn't know what to do and just slept at home.
She was resting, but it didn't feel like it.
"Staying home makes you depressed easily. If crowds bother you, try a cafe late at night. Near closing, almost no one there."
Following her worried senior's advice, she decided to visit a cafe at night.
The guild had cafes, but she lacked the face to see colleagues, so she went far away.
Wearing an illusion artifact borrowed from the guild to hide her identity.
Feeling like a criminal, she couldn't meet people's eyes, but the staff's kindness made ordering easy enough.
The staff's voice was male.
Two weeks of visits, yet still unable to look people in the face properly, she didn't know what he looked like.
'Senior was right, coming out does ease the mind a bit.'
Then, a message from a colleague arrived.
-Yu-ra! Some psycho's going nuts about you!
The link her colleague sent.
She shouldn't have clicked it.
[S-Rank Hunter Choi Yu-ra: Is her break because of a debauched sex life?]
People weren't just scolding her now.
They wanted her dead.
"..."
Her hands and feet trembled wildly.
A floating sensation like falling off a cliff, her mind going hazy like a dream.
Why?
Why this video?
She didn't even drink or smoke, let alone men?
The so-called evidence was all clumsy fakes?
But.
But why were all the comments cursing her?
'Ah...'
Anger at them surged.
But greater was the anger and disappointment at herself.
If she had truly been perfect, no one would believe such a rumor.
Everyone would condemn the uploader and defend her.
'It's all because I'm lacking.'
Unknowingly, she gripped her smartphone hard enough to shatter it.
Better this way.
She had lost her path, didn't need such a thing anymore.
She wanted to retire as a Hunter.
No, erase her lacking self from the world.
"W-Wait a moment!"
That she heeded this man's plea.
"If you're okay with it, tell me. The grudges bottled up in your chest just fester more the longer you hold them in, but saying them out loud to someone can make it all feel better."
There was no special reason.
"I'm saying this because I genuinely care about you. As a fan who supports you, I don't want to just let you go like this."
Just, somehow, his words felt sincere.
From some point, even praise from those who liked her felt fake.
Feeling sincerity after so long, she wanted to talk as he said.
Of course, while waiting for him, she thought what use was this several times.
Wanted to leave more than once.
"You... know a lot about me?"
But truly pouring out her heart as he said lightened it.
So she vomited out all the ugliness she'd bottled up, even she found it pathetic.
He said he was her fan?
Far from perfect, how disappointed would he be in her flawed self?
Would he curse and condemn her like the other comments?
"S-Rank Hunter Choi Yu-ra."
She didn't know what expression he wore.
Lately, people's faces felt not human, but mechanical.
Malicious comment machines condemning her.
"No, Choi Yu-ra."
Would this man condemn her too?
But he was different from others.
He didn't condemn her for not being perfect.
"You're not a god."
Instead.
"No one in the world is perfect."
He understood.